Buckle



Dec. 18, 1934. C, E, ANDERSON 1,984,856

BUCKLE Filed Aug. 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l man Dea 18, 1934.

c. E. ANDERSON BUCKLE 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2e

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Patented Dec. 18, 1934 PATENT oFFlca BUCKLE v s Carl E. Anderson, EastfOrang'e, N. J., assignor to Eastern Tool & Mfg. Co., Bloomfield, N. J.

Application August 26, 1933, serial Nmsssis 4 claims.l (el. z4`7s This invention relates: to an improved buckle forV the straps of garments.'` The buckle `can also be combined with' a button loop formed in the end of the grasping or clamping lever.

f The invention is designed particularly for heavier straps such as denim used in overalls. The invention is particularly. designed to provide Iaibuckle withan'exceptionally strong grip onthe material which prevents slipping when the strap is taut or loose. The manner of grasping the 'cloth is a novel feature of the invention.

'Ihe invention also includes a particularly strong hinge between the back plate and the lever whereby a longer bearing than usual' is provided.

Another feature is the form of button receiving and retaining partr of the lever to retain the button lin place .against accidental removal but permitting an easy and ready intentional removal. Y 1 lThe invention also relates to various other details of construction which lwill `be hereinafter more fullsr described and also lembodied inthe claims. w

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying-drawings." In Said,l drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a combined loop and buckle embodying my invention. Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a back view of the article shown in Figure 1 with part of the strap broken away. Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of the improved corner hinge of a back plate forming part of the buckle. Figure 7 is a back view of a modified form of back plate. Figure 8 is a central vertical section of the device shown in Figure 7 and Figure 9 is a longitudinal section of the device shown in Figure 7. Figure 10 is a back view of another modification, Figure 11 is a longitudinal section and Figure 12 is a vertical section of the article shown in Figure 10. 1

The device comprises two members hinged together to clasp a strap between them. The member 10 is a back plate and the member 11 is a lever hinged at the ends to the back plate. The.

back plate is provided at the ends with forwardly projecting ears 12 which are folded over or ilanged at the edges to form the stiifening flanges 13. The ears are depressed to form a groove 14 which still further stiifens the ears. The groove 14 is preferably extended around the corner -of the back plate and part way on the back plate as at 15. 'I'his form strengthens the whole ear against bending even under excess strain in use.

The ear 12 is provided with` a perforation 16 at the outer end of the groove v14 the outer edge of the perforation being at the inner face of the flange 13. This form provides'a relatively vlong bearing for the pins 17 which extendv from the ends of the lever 11. It will be noted from Figure 3 that this construction gives a long bearing on the outer side of the pin 17, it holds the pin 17 firmly at the juncture of pin and lever ,and also protects the end of the pin 17 .against catching in clothing or engaging the fingers. 'I'his con-v struction also gives rmness and rigidity tothe ends of the buckle. l f

The. back plate has a top'flange 1.8 and a bottom flange 19 these projecting to the front. The rear face of the back plate ylies against the end of the strap 20. The bachI plate is providedA with teeth 21 which are struck up from the metal of the back plate to allow space for the end of the strap and then forced back toward the `strap to tightly clasp the strap. 'I'he teeth, `as shown clearly in Figure 4, are tapered vthus providing a narrowed end on each tooth 22, which end pushes the material of thestrapinto the holes -23 to a greater extent `thany the intermediate part of the tooth. In addition to this the teeth are also curved laterally, that is in addition to the curvature apparent from the figure-the teeth are arched as shown at 24 in Figure 3. This arching under pressure clamps the strap tightly between the edges of the holes 23 and the edges of the teeth 22. The squeezing and sinuous conformation into which the strap is forced cannot be accurately shown in the drawings. The distortion of the strap presents concave faces where the strap projects inwardly in the holes 23.

The lever 11 is provided, as above described, with pins 17 in the holes 16 ofthe back plate. The lever has a 4top flange 25 which is provided with teeth 26. The teeth 26 are spaced to enter the holes 23 and thus force the strap material in close frictional contact with the strap material in the holes 23 and with the edges ofthe holes 23.v As many teeth 26 may be used as desired but I prefer to dispose the teeth in such positions that the center part and ends of the flange 26 are free for material that. may be stitched at the edges or at the center of the strap. The pins 17 extend from vthe back plate at its juncture with the flange 25.

'I'he lever has a portion extending below the flange 19 of the back plate. This extension is for providing'leverage for the easy operation ofthe lever.` It may also be used as a button loop with the loop portion 27 at the bottom. The loop portion has a wide top extension 28 extending laterally beyond the relatively constricted walls of the button holding part of the loop. The upper edge of the extended button receiving part 27 is preferably curved as at 30. The arms at the sides of the button loop are bent outwardly just below the elbows 31, that is, near the top of the button holding part 27 and then taper inwardly as at 31. This form of humped or raised part 31 not onlyseats a button shank 33 rmly in place by giving the button a slight cant at the top but facilitates the release of a button which has passed one of the humps 31 and is inclined toward the rear at the top. It also facilitates the insertion of a button which is passed easily edgewise through the extended or wide part 28 and then rides over the humps 31 into the button holding part 27 of the button loop.

For stiiening purposes provide a iiange 34 around the edge of the lever below the pins 17. I also provide a flange 35 around the edges of the button opening, the upper part of this ange being slightly below the ange 19 of the back plate Ato assist in giving a sinuous shape to a heavy strap.

In Figures 7, 8 and 9, I show a modified form of back plate. The modication is localized in the construction for securing the end of the strap to the back plate.

The construction includes a bent over portion 36 at the top of the back plate. This portion is bent over to the front and the bent over portion and the back plate are provided with aligned holes. These holes are shown at 37 in the bent over portion and at 38 in the back wall of the back plate. When the part 36 is pressed down the material below each hole 3'7 is pressed in to force the strap material to be .held in the holes and also to provide depressed parts at 38 in line with the teeth 26 of the lever to bind the main part of the strap 20 between the lever and the back plate. This will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 8.

Figures 10, 11 and 12 showA another modification of back plate with the back plate provided with a row of spaced holes 39 and a bent over portion having depressed grooves 40 to not only force the strap material into the holes 39 but to provide grooves into which the strap material is squeezed by the teeth 26 of the lever.

Various changes may be made in the construction and proportion of parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

I claim:

l. A buckle comprising a back plate and a lever hinged together, an ear on each end of the back plate, a pin on each end of the lever, each ear having an inwardly pressed groove on its outer face and having a marginal flange, each ear having a hole adjacent the iiange and at the outer `end of the groove to provide a wide bearing for the pins of the lever.

2. A buckle comprising a sheet-metal back plate having ears on each end, each ear being grooved on the outer side and having a marginal ange, the ear being perforated at the front end of the groove and at the inner face of the flange whereby the wholelwidth of the flange is available as a bearing and a lever having pins pivotally arranged in the perforations of the ears.

3. A buckle comprising a metal back plate having ears on each end, a lever pivoted at its end in the ears, the back plate having teeth bent out toward the rear forming openings, said teeth being arched in cross-section, the lever having teeth in register withthe teeth on the back Aplate and disposed to co-operate with the openings in the back plate for grasping a strap.

4. A buckle comprising a back plate having ears struck up at each end, the ears having inwardly bent iianges and inwardly pressed grooves extending from the flanges and part way along the back plate, the ears having perforations at the outer ends-of the grooves at the flanges, a lever having a flange with teeth and a depending button loop and having pins at the juncture of the ilange and loop for hinging the lever to the ears, said pins bearing on the outer flanges of the ears and having a bearing in said ears.

CARL E. ANDERSON. 

